County / In Brief

May 24, 2014

Firefighters and county Department of Public Works employees cleaned up a hazardous materials spill Friday fronting Iao Intermediate School in Wailuku, after a hydraulic fluid leak earlier in the morning from an Aloha Waste trash truck.

The spill was reported at 6:22 a.m. Wailuku firefighters arrived to find a 20-by-15-foot puddle of hydraulic fluid, which was still leaking from a broken hose from the truck, said Fire Services Chief Lee Mainaga.

Article Photos

County officials work to clean up a spill of hydraulic fluid from an Aloha Waste trash truck on Friday morning.

STEVEN THYNE photo

By midmorning, the spill on Market Street was 120 feet long and 10 feet wide, extending from Kaohu to Palua streets, Mainaga said.

In observance of Memorial Day, Gov. Neil Abercrombie has ordered that U.S. and Hawaii flags be flown at half-staff at all state offices and agencies until noon Monday.

Abercrombie will attend the Maui County Veterans Council Memorial Day observance beginning at 9 a.m. Monday at the Makawao Veterans Cemetery. U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard also is scheduled to be at the event, according to an announcement from her office.

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Assistance dog site to welcome public

Assistance Dogs of Hawaii will hold a free open house from 1 to 5 p.m. today at its campus and training facility in Makawao, according to an announcement.

The facility is at 675 Kealaloa Ave. The event will feature refreshments and an opportunity to watch dog teams and puppies in training.

The nonprofit group provides people with physical and developmental disabilities professionally trained dogs that will give them increased freedom and enhance the quality of their lives. The group was founded by Will and Mo Maurer, who started working in the assistance dog industry in 1995 when they realized the difficulty Hawaii residents were having in obtaining guide dogs.

For more information, call 205-4767.

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Hana, Molokai, Lanai pre-K offered

Prekindergarten classes will be available at Hana High and Elementary, Kaunakakai Elementary on Molokai and Lanai High and Elementary, according to an announcement from Gov. Neil Abercrombie's office.

The classes will stem from a new program developed jointly by the governor's Executive Office on Early Learning and the state Department of Education, the announcement said. It will allow families to enroll their 4-year-olds in prekindergarten classes.

The program is intended to serve 420 children who qualify based on income (those eligible for free or reduced lunches) and age requirements. For the 2014-15 school year, children must be 5 years old on or before July 31 to be admitted to regular kindergarten. Priority for the prekindergarten program is given to children born on or between Aug. 1 and Dec. 31, 2009.

Student application packets will be available at respective school offices. The first deadline to submit an application is Friday.

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Blood Bank to hold Maui drives in June

The Blood Bank of Hawaii has released its blood drive schedule for June.

Every day, 200 blood donors are needed to meet the needs of Hawaii's patients, according to an announcement last week. Donors must be in good health, at least 18 years old (or 17 with signed consent form), weigh at least 110 pounds and bring a valid photo ID on the day of the blood drive.

Drives will be held at the Cameron Center Auditorium in Wailuku on:

* June 23, 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

* June 24, 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

* June 25, 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m.

* June 26, 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Times and dates are subject to change. Call (808) 848-4770 or visit www.bbh.org to schedule an appointment.